The Volusia Sheriff’s Office has a new chief deputy and a new division chief of law enforcement operations – both proven veterans promoted by Sheriff Mike Chitwood to help lead the agency as it transitions to a constitutional Sheriff’s Office in 2021.

Sheriff Chitwood’s new second in command is Chief Deputy Joseph F. Gallagher Jr. Gallagher, 53, was hired at the Sheriff’s Office nearly 30 years ago in November 1989. He has served in a wide variety of assignments, including commander of narcotics investigations and an assistant commander in District 6 (DeBary), District 4 (Deltona) and in Investigative Services. From 2005 to 2013, he served as a sergeant supervising and managing narcotics investigations with the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. Prior to becoming a deputy, Gallagher served about two years as an Ormond Beach police officer from 1987 to 1989.

Gallagher is a 2019 graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police in Boston. Until this week, his assignment was division chief of all Sheriff’s Office law enforcement operations. Gallagher and his wife live in Ormond Beach, and their daughter and son-in-law are both deputies in the agency.

Promoted to fill Gallagher’s former position over law enforcement operations is new Division Chief Brian Henderson, 37, a 17-year veteran of the agency who has been serving as captain of the Investigative Services Section since 2017. Henderson is a 2016 graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and, like Chief Deputy Gallagher, a 2019 graduate of the PERF Senior Management Institute for Police.

Henderson’s prior assignments include assistant commander of Investigative Services, which includes all areas of investigation, the Volusia County Crime Center, Major Case Unit, Child Exploitation Unit, Crime Scene Unit, Cold Case Squad and other units. He also served in the past as the Narcotics/Vice lieutenant and as the assistant district commander in Deltona. Henderson started his career in 2002 as a patrol deputy, served as a DEA Federal Task Force agent and worked on the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force. He earned his first promotion in 2009, serving as a hostage negotiator, patrol supervisor, Crime Suppression Team supervisor, District 2 detective sergeant and Volusia Bureau of Investigation sergeant.

The promotions were announced within the agency last week and became official Monday.

“The caliber of leaders in the Volusia Sheriff’s Office is second to none, and I’m grateful to all who are stepping up to lead this agency into the future,” Sheriff Chitwood said. “Chief Deputy Gallagher and Division Chief Henderson are two of the most dedicated, experienced and innovative leaders in our organization, and I know they’ll continue to help us accomplish great things for the people of Volusia County.”

Sheriff Chitwood’s top administration consists of a chief deputy and three division chiefs. Henderson joins Division Chief Tim Morgan, who oversees Support Operations, and Division Chief Shane Summers, who oversees Administrative Services, which is laying much of the groundwork for the transition to a constitutional Sheriff’s Office under Amendment 10. A more detailed organizational chart of the agency is available at the following link: Organizational chart.